Thursday, July 8, 2010

Profanity in Print by Terry Burns

This is a topic of conversation with writers all of the time, particularly Christian writers. Many believe that strong emotions simply cannot be shown without it, or that really bad men can't be portrayed without it. I agree, bad men use bad language, and I show that all the time. But I never use the language, I simply show them doing it. People know what the words are, they don't need me to spell it out for them, they just want to see the emotions and the body language, to see the people using the language.

But people disagree with me, I get that. So there is a more pragmatic argument. Most Christian publishers simply will not take a book that contains profanity, graphic sex or violence. This seems to anger the people who feel that is taking realism out of the books. They miss the point. Christian publishers are trying to walk the line between taking on relevant, current subjects, and presenting them in such a way that they are appearing to condone the behavior. Showing people in a book using bad language is being realistic, but using the language itself is an appearance of condoning the behavior.

Shouldn't we as Christian writers be looking at it the same way? Shouldn't we be wanting to get as much realism as possible into our work without at any point be appearing to condone what we are presenting in our writing? Shouldn't we want to take on the tough subjects without glamorizing any inappropriate behavior?

Secular publishing houses don't have to worry about trying to walk this line. As an agent I have a very low tolerance for inappropriate material and don't want to have my name attached to it. I am quite frankly more worried about my Christian witness than about making another publishing deal. The Bible is very clear about our being a stumbling block for others and I surely don't want to do that even if it is a work I didn't create myself.

I guess what I'm saying is we talk about whether these things are or are not needed in a work, and that discussion could go on ad ifinitum, but the bottom line is we are ruling out an entire market if we do it, the fastest growing market in the industry today. Can we tell the story just as well without it? I think so. So why turn these readers and publishing houses off if it isn't necessary?

32 comments:

I could not agree more. It has bothered me for a long time that I can't pick up a book (secular) and not have that kind of profane language thrown in my face. To me it shows a serious lack of creative talent and just plain laziness when book authors seem compelled to throw in the profanity because they are not adept at writing emotionally charged situations without them. I deeply appreciate your personal desire to stand firm in your commitment to Christ's standards rather than the world's.I read your post as a result of following a link on Twitter from JT4novels (Jennifer Taylor). I am glad I did.

I wholeheartedly agree. Profanity in a novel or non-fiction work does not reveal depth or realism.

When I encounter such language in a book, for my own protection, I immediately drop it. I, as the reader, do not need nor want to be exposed to it. I have a hard enough time avoiding in all other media.

I will end up repeating the words I've read, no doubt. So, I must limit my exposure to it.

I wrote a short piece that included this issue of profanity from my favorite author: http://vesselproject.com/?s=willful+disobedience

As you said, our Christian witness is far more important than a publishing deal. Besides, we have plenty of evidence to show that profanity isn't needed. I've mentioned Bill Sikes before and people dismissed him as being a character written in a different era, but whatever the reason he didn't you profanity he stands out as one of the badest characters, even when compared to the profanity spewing villains of today. Even if we do decide to use profanity in our writing to show just how bad the character is, we have a problem because we’re only showing short segments of his life. A character that may use profanity five times a day may appear to use it all the time because the only interesting part of his day was those times when he used profanity. If that’s the case, including it is not more realistic than leaving it out.

I wholeheartedly agree and feel that all of us need to as you say be more worried about our witness than making a deal or getting published (for us writers). For isn't the whole purpose for God to be able to use our fiction to minister to a hurting world?

I agree, and it bothers me that some Christian publishers and authors are allowing some curse words in their books, and it bothers me more that they defend it if you complain - they don't seem to care about offending people like me who find it offensive

The moral issue is the biggest one. We answer to a higher authority than just readers and publishers. What does God say about it? So you are right in being more concerned about your witness.

But I also think crude actions such as sex or cursing is an easy out. Take movie scripts, for instance. Quality films have a story. If they aren't sure of themselves, they plug a four letter word in every few sentences and a whole lot of nudity. It's lazy. It's worldly. And it's low quality.

That's why I think Christian writers are some of the best in the world. We have a harder, more noble job. And I love it!

Some of the most romantic, heart wrenching, and moving movies got their point across with more stringent rules than we have in the Christian publishing industry.

Freedom to put in risque or shocking material doesn't make you a better writer. Rising to the challenge of exploring a hard topic while maintaining integrity WILL make you a better more creative writer.

Here is what I believe for ME and MY WRITING: My goal as a Christian (which trickles over into everything I say and do) is to walk as closely to God as I possibly can, not see how far I can stray and still be "okay." As a Christian, I'm called to holiness. How can my work honor Him if it matches what the world would do?

Good thoughts, Terry. I think about "whatsoever things are pure...lovely...." think on these things. What a challenge for readers and writers. I think how Jesus said if we love and obey Him, we'll see Him in our lives more. What a goal. I'd love that. But I'll never completely do either in this life. I hope I won't be tempted not to try. And I hope I'll never tempt others not to. Lead me not, let me lead them not, into temptation. Oy.

Good thoughts, Terry. I think about "whatsoever things are pure...lovely...." think on these things. What a challenge for readers and writers. I think how Jesus said if we love and obey Him, we'll see Him in our lives more. What a goal. I'd love that. But I'll never completely do either in this life. I hope I won't be tempted not to try. And I hope I'll never tempt others not to. Lead me not, let me lead them not, into temptation. Oy.

This is a good post Terry. I'm seeing more slang and even some swear words from some of my favorite CBA publishers and authors. One editor told me that the younger generation just talks different than I do and that some of these words that I don't care for are part of their every day language. I don't quite know what to think about this, but I hope it doesn't go too far. I read a book recently that I loved, but there were a few questionable (to me anyway) words in it. It is published by a very conservative publisher.

Mr. Burns, you said *I agree, bad men use bad language, and I show that all the time. But I never use the language, I simply show them doing it. People know what the words are, they don't need me to spell it out for them, they just want to see the emotions and the body language, to see the people using the language.* *How* do you *show* them using the language? Thanks

Someone asked about the logical reasons for using profanity. The justification I usually see is something along the lines of that’s the way the world talks and since we have to have worldly readers if we want to reach them for Christ we must speak to them in a way they understand.

Anonymous 4:52 asks a good question, “*How* do you *show* them using the language?” First, this question seems to assume that we much show everything. Despite the popular misunderstood rule, some things are better told than shown. I think Gerald cursed the day of his mother’s birth, is a much more interesting sentence than anything I can come up with that has profanity in it and yet we get the idea. We can also show people’s reaction to profanity and get far more meaning than what we’d get from the word itself. I learned to choose my words carefully at an early age. I thought I was cool when I said that word to my mother. I watched her face turn red and then a dark maroon. “Young man, I don’t want to ever hear you use that word again!” She marched me straight to the bathroom and I spent some quality time with a bar soap in my mouth, after which I got three on the backside.

Terry, I agree with you. Profanity has no place in Christian fiction, plus, you might alienate potential readers if they open the book and see that printed on the page. They might get upset and think..."But I thought this was a Christian book." There are ways to show cursing without using the actual words, letting the reader fill in the blanks for him or herself.

How do you show it? Let me tell you a true story. The entire family agrees my grandfather never said a cuss-word in his entire life. One day he was working on his old model A and nothing was going right. The more things messed up the madder he got. He got so red in the face and neck and so agitated that the kids were actually afraid and cowering on the porch. Then he twisted off the head of a bolt. He stepped back, threw the wrench he was holding completely out of sight. He stood, sweat pouring from him, shaking both fists at the sky, and in a huge voice screamed "Gee!!!"

What word of profanity could I put in there that would make that image stronger? Like I say, true story.

Profanity is nothing new. Many great books have been written by the masters who did not feel the need to use it. That says something to me. Perhaps we're just more shallow in this day and age. Profanity does not offend me, I suppose I'm "used" to it. I do not use it in my writing because I don't want to. For me, it's a personal choice.

I agree with you. The world knows how Christians are supposed to act. If they pick up our books and find the same trash, they'll immediately brand us hypocrites. And you know something? They'd be right.

I answer to God, not the market or any man's opinion. God says He'll judge every idle word. Christian writers use many words, and we'll have to account for them all.

I found the story about your grandfather comical, but I think there are plenty of words which would be far more effective than "gee" in getting across the point. The use of "gee" makes me think that he's a lovable creature and not truly vexated beyond bearing - as he's so controlled in his language.I also feel it completely undermines the skillful build-up preceding it; using such a diluted word makes me want to giggle when I read it. It just seems "off", somehow askew. How can we portray real people without using their real words? And how can we show their words to be wrong/shocking unless we present those words and they strike the reader as wrong/shocking? To say "he cursed" is a much more forgivable, easy-to-brush-over statement, which I would even argue, makes it seem MORE ok to swear: if we can complacently say "x or y swore", there is similarly no sense that the author disapproves. And surely the biggest problem is conflating the views and actions of the characters with those of the author: nothing could be further from the truth or highlight a bad reading practice. Bill Sykes may not have sworn, but Dicken's work signally fails to reach the highest levels of "Art" because he has a tendency to sentimentalise, to portray the world in a skewed, exaggerated manner. It certainly isn't realism, in its strictest sense. If we want to impact people, it can be just as effective to show the emptiness of certain ways of life, as to insist on glossing over them. An accurate portrayal - one that a reader can relate to intimately - will do much more to make them thing than a "censored" or "clean" version. Again, if a character swears, it is not the author who is swearing, or condoning swearing: it is the character alone.

There certainly might have been a better choice of words, but the point is that was the word he used. And I can see you are one of those people that think profanity is necessary and I could not disagree more . . . and will not represent it. It is easy to make a case for why it needs to be done but it takes a real writer to write effectively without resorting to it.

You are free to write whatever you think is appropriate and I am free to choose what I will represent and what I won't.

I find it hard to accept that leaving out profanity makes for a more skilful writer. Surely, good writing means using THE correct word every time, the most accurate and effective word. Sometimes, and not always, this will be a swear word. But i completely understand your viewpoint, and of course you are perfectly within your rights to select what you represent, especially as you hold such strong convictions. I just thought there was very little by way of comments on the opposite viewpoint! I did find the article useful, so thanks

Anonymous, it is my opinion that it is the story that is the most important thing. If a story is so weak that word choice makes a significant difference, then it isn't worth our time anyway. The use of profanity is a lazy way of writing, just as it as lazy way of telling jokes. The standup comedians who use profanity get a lot of laughs, but there is no meat to their jokes. The guys who are truly funny are the ones who leave off the profanity and still get laughs. The same is true of writers. A truly skilled writer can move the reader without the use of profanity.

When you say story, do you mean plot? A good story can't be told in poor or lazy words! A good choice of words is necessary to bolster/complement a good plot: one without the other makes for bad balance. And I think it's just as lazy to ignore the wording of one's writing, or consider it as second-rate. The choice of words is all about HOW the story is told - and let's face it, if it's told poorly, then the story will not interest (unless it itself has an racy or unrelentingly exciting plot). But it depends on genre. For much writing, it's key to use words carefully. And if I decide to use a profanity, it is not down to laziness. That's hard for me to swallow. It's down to a considered choice, based on each individual word: if this word most effectively reveals who my character is, how they would act/react, then it stays. I would never include a swear word as part of the authorial voice, because that's a different issue. It depends on the genre again: the writing I attempt is neither for laughs or to entertain solely with a fast-paced plot. I want it to be true to life. and not to gloss over or elide aspects of life that do happen.

As I said you are certainly free to write as you wish. I assume that you are writing for the mainstream market as most Christian market editors that I know have as low of a tolerance for profanity as I do.

MEET THE HARTLINE AGENTS

Joyce Hart, Owner and principal agent

Joyce Hart, owner and principal agent of Hartline Literary Agency has been a literary agent for more than a decade. She was formerly the vice president of marketing of an inspirational publishing company and as the president of Hartline Marketing has nearly thirty-two years of successful experience marketing and promoting books. Joyce has been a pioneer in selling high-quality fiction to the inspirational market and has built an excellent rapport with leading inspirational publishers. A member of ACFW, and the National Association of Professional Women, Joyce is a graduate of Open Bible College, Des Moines, IA now merged with Eugene Bible College in Eugene, Oregon. Joyce is based at Hartline Literary's Pittsburgh headquarters.

Terry Burns. Agent

Terry has been with the Hartline agency for over ten years, over six years as an agent, and has a substantial list of clients, a growing list of credits, and a reputation for presenting to conferences all over the country. Terry comes from a writing background, has over 40 books of his own in print, most recently publishing a primer for Christian authors entitled "Writing in Obedience" with editorial assistant Linda Yezak. His Young Adult novel entitled "Beyond the Smoke" won the Will Rogers Medallion and he has a book out on the skills needed to get published entitled "A Writer's Survival Guide toPublication" that was developed out of the month long course he held for ACFW. A bookstore of his available works as well as a periodic blog can be found at http://www.terryburns.net. As an agent Terry says "I'm looking for a good book, well written in a unique voice, aimed at a market that looks promising, and where I feel I have the contacts appropriate to be able to sell the book in that market. I'm pretty open as to genre but I don't do picture books, sci fi or fantasy. He's a member of the Association of Author's Representatives (AAR).

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Diana currently lives in Asheville NC. A Bible College major in Missions and Anthropology, Diana has been a medical missionary to Haiti, a women's speaker and bible study leader. One of her life's highlights has been teaching apologetics to high school students as preparatory for college. Avid reader and intuitive editor, Diana's represents nonfiction and well written fiction. She has a passion for getting great writers published.

Jim Hart, Agent

Jim Hart is looking for authors who can write unique and engaging fictional suspense, romance, women’s fiction, historical fiction and some sci-fi. Jim is also interested in non-fiction regarding church growth, Christian living, and self-help. Keep in mind that non-fiction topics require a certain level of credentials, experience and expertise. The author will need an appropriate platform to present a non-fiction proposal.

Currently Jim is not looking at children’s, young adult or Biblical fiction proposals.

He holds a degree in Production Journalism and worked for twenty years in direct mail advertising before taking a job with an urban social services agency, where he worked for twelve years. All during his professional career, Jim has served with the local church doing youth ministry and music/worship ministry. He is a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God, and serves part-time as Worship Pastor in his local church in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

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Linda is an experienced editor, reviewer and writer, and for a couple of years was a final reader for Wild Rose Press, then for White Rose Publishing and she worked as an editorial assistant for Hartline Agent Terry Burns. She has judged for numerous contests including the Genesis for the American Christian Fiction Writers, as well as the Emily Award for the West Houston Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. She has been on the faculty for Faithwriters.com annual conference, Maranatha, and is slated for numerous others in 2013. Linda understands writers because she's a writer herself with 4 books releasing in 2013.linda@hartlineliterary.comhttp://lindaglaz.blogspot.com/

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